Cigarette extinguisher



Nov. 19, 1968 J. M WILLIAMS CIGARETTE EXTING UISHER Filed March 14, 1967 R.S mm VU W W C M ,S E M "J ATTORNEY United States Patent O 3,411,516 CIGARETTE EXTINGUISHER James McWilliams, Oak Hill and Sherwood Roads, Baltimore, Md. 21212 Filed Mar. 14, 1967, Ser. No. 623,001 9 Claims. (Cl. 131235) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A cigarette snuffing device for use within conventional open-topped ash trays. An upstanding right cylinder is removably mounted in the tray. The cylinder has a conically depressed top surface terminating in an aperture having a diameter slightly less than that of a cigarette. A conventional snuffing tongue having a conical depression and aperture may serve as the said top surface.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the inventiorz.-This invention relates to ash trays and, more particularly, to an ash tray modification for providing a more effective snufiing or extinguishment of cigarettes.

(2) Description the prior art.-The smoking of cigarettes while engaged in the operation of motor vehicles has long been a commoplace activity on the part of the public. In order to accommodate drivers, the vehicle manufacturing industry now position ash trays within easy reach of the operator. Careful positioning of the trays has assumed an increasing significance as an awareness of the importance of minimizing driver distraction has developed. Driver distraction is particularly heightened while manipulating a lighted cigarette within the ash tray in order to snub and extinguish it. The coals of a cigarette are somewhat difficult to completely extinguish without momentarily taking ones eyes from the road, and thereby incur risk, particularly when driving at higher speeds. As a consequence, cigarettes are very often only partially extinguished and, as a result, cause accidental ignition of butts or debris within the tray when disposed of therewith. Additionally, burning ash is often severed from the tip of a cigarette while manipulating it against the apertured snubbing lips conventionally mounted within ash trays. This severed ash is also prone to cause spurious ignition of combustible waste within the tray.

The opportunity for spurious ignition is most prevalent during or following the act of snubbing out a lighted cigarette. Such a problem is seldomly encountered while the smoker is merely tapping ash from a cigarette tip into the ash receptacle during the course of smoking.

Accidental ignitions may engender serious operational hazards should they be heightened or blown about by wind gusts from vehicle window vents. Further, the peculiar odor from such smoking debris is considerably objectionable to vehicle occupants forced to abide it.

Numerous approaches have heretofore been brought forward suggesting solution to the above-outlined problem of cigarette extinguishment. These solutions, however, are seen either to be complex and therefore prohibitively expensive for requisite high volume manufacture, or fail to both eliminate objectional post snufiing smoke and the possibility of accidental ignition.

In many instances, the prior art approaches involve the utilization of snubbing devices which depart from conventional protruding apertured lip design and are therefore distracting to drivers unfamiliar with them. Also, many of the innovations, upon being mounted within vehicle ash receptacles are found to occupy a large portion of CFl Patented Nov. 19, 1968 "Ice available tray space with the consequent unacceptable lowering of the receptacles butt retaining capacity.

SUMMARY The inventive cigarette extinguishing arrangement now presented offers solution to the deficiencies outlined above and others by providing, inter alia, a relatively small insert which is readily mountable within a conventional ash tray and which serves as a receptacle for confining burning ash severed from the central portion of a cigarette tip during the act of snuffing out.

The extinguishing device now presented is characterized in having within its upward facing snufiing surface a conical depression terminating in a hole or aperture of a diameter less than that of a cigarette. As a lighted cigarette tip is snubbed and slightly twisted within the conical depression, two resultant effects are realized: (a) the centrally situated and most difficult to extinguish ignited ash of the tip is severed, dropping through the aperture into the isolated receptacle, and (b) the peripheral, paper shrouded portion of the cigarette tip is fully extinguished.

Through this uniquely simple expedient a number of useful features and advantages are obtained. For instance, the internal upward profile of the snuifer-ash receptacle arrangement serves as a trap for the smoke emanating from the burning ash deposited therein, thereby minimizing the objectional odor of unextinguished ash. Additionally, burning ash is effectively segregated by the receptacle from cigarette butts and waste, thereby eliminating the chance to consequent inconvenience of their accidental ignition.

As another advantage and object, the receptacle may be of desirably small dimension inasmuch as it is adapted to retain only a small portion of the ignited ash of each cigarette. This feature allows for desirable maximization of ash tray capacity.

A further advantage of the extinguishing arrangement lies in its ready adaptability to use with conventional motor vehicle ash tray apertured snuffing lips. As a consequence, it 'may be incorporated within such vehicles at very small expense. Additionally, when thusly installed within a motor vehicle ash tray, the operator thereof will not be confronted with an unfamiliar cigarette snubbing procedure.

A further advantageous feature of the extinguishing arrangement lies in its very simple mode of removal from an ash tray for emptying purposes.

The inventive device is further typified by its uniquely simple design, ease of manufacture and consequently small cost.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed descriptilon taken together with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a partial perspective view of a conventional motor vehicle ash tray incorporating the novel features of the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the novel arrangement taken along the plane 2-2 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the invention incorporating a clip-mounting assembly.

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a conventional ash tray incorporating the device of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (1) Structure.The ash tray modification of the present invention comprises, in general, a cylindrical tobacco ash receptacle which may be mounted beneath the conventional tongue shaped cigarette snubbers of motor vehicle ash trays.

Referring to FIGURE 1, a typical ash tray housing is depicted having a front panel 12 which may be adapted to conform to the contour of an automobile dashboard. Housing 10 is fashioned having vertical side walls 14 and 16 along with a bottom Wall 18 and is shown as mountable for sliding engagement with a motor vehicle structure, so that the ash tray may be slid reciprocally outwardly when used. It will be apparent from the discussion which follows that the concepts of the instant invention will find application to a broad variety of vehicular ash tray mounting schemes.

Permanently attached to the upper edge of sidewall 14 is a conventional tongue shaped cigarette snubber 20 having a rounded free end portion and a downwardly extending head or lip 22. Snubber 20, usually stamped from sheet metal, is also formed having a conically shaped indentation 24 which, in turn, surrounds an aperture or hole 26 having a diameter slightly larger than one-half that of a cigarette.

In accordance with the present invention, there is removably mounted beneath the snubber 20 a cylindrically shaped tobacco ash receptacle 30 having a bottom wall 32. An important aspect of the invention is the positioning of the cylinder 30 at the underside of snubber 20 and within its bead or lip 22. As is more clearly portrayed in FIGURE 2 the lip 22 provides lateral support of and facilitates an axial alignment of the cylinder 30 with the center of aperture 26. In the embodiment shown, the cylinder is removably attached to the ash tray side wall 14 by means of a simple magnetic mounting comprising a sheet metal mounting plate 34 to which is adhesively attached a magnet 36. To ensure an ample bond, a magnetically inert mounting structure 38 formed of plastic, graphite or the like, may also be glued to the magnet 36 and plate 34. Mounting structure 38 serves the additional function of supporting receptacle 30 at an appropriate distance from side wall 14 in order to provide requisite alignment of the cylinder with aperture 26.

The spaced relationship of the upper wall of cylinder 30 with the lower surface and conical depression 24 of the snubber 20 as may be seen at 39 has been found to provide what may be termed as a smoke trap.

Another embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with FIGURE 3. In this alternate arrangement, the mounting of the receptacle cylinder 30 to the snubber 20 is effected by a simple spring clip assembly 42 attached to the cylinder. Spring leaves 44 of the clip assembly are seen to urge the top of cylinder 30 against the lower surface of snubber 20. The spring leaves 44 also provide ample leeway or play to allow for facile mounting of the cylinder 30. In the arrangement, it will also be observed that the bottom edge of cylinder 30 rests against bottom wall 16 of the tray 10, consequently, the bottom wall as previously shown at 32 may be eliminated. While in such a design the length of cylinder 30 must be customized or adjusted to match ash tray dimension, it will be apparent that the ash tray is slightly easier to empty.

Turning to FIGURE 4, another embodiment of the invention is illustrated. In this arrangement a typical ash tray is depicted having mounted thereon a cylindrical ash receptacle 51. The open, lower edge of cylinder 51 rests upon the floor 52 of tray 50 and is held in place by a simple spring clip 53 attached, in turn, to the tray floor 52. An outward pressure of spring clip leaves 54 allows a removable attachment of the cylinder. It will be apparent from the drawing that the conical depression 56 and aperture 58 serve the same function as set forth previously in connection with the description of conical indentation 24 and aperture 26.

(2) Operation-In using the ash tray arrangement of this invention, the smoker snuffs a lighted cigarette in accord with convention by pressing with a twisting motion its lighted tip against the conical indentation and aperture as at 24 and 26. This action is found to extinguish the outer, peripheral portion of the ignited tip and to sever the inner ignited portion, causing the latter to drop into the cylindrical receptacle 30 or 51. The fully extinguished butt is then discarded into the tray. The now severed and ignited central portion of tobacco (generally a very small amount) is allowed to burn itself out within the segregated and confined interior of receptacle 30.

The opportunity for spurious ignition of previously discarded butts and waste matter is thereby eliminated. The smoke trapping feature 39 serves to minimize post snubbing smoke emanating from the tobacco within receptacle 30 and the small amount of tobacco as is severed and isolated within the receptacle has been fund to burn itself completely out.

Inasmuch as only a small amount of ignited tobacco is deposited within receptacle 30 or 51, the relatively small cylindrical dimension is found to be of adequate size and need be emptied only when the entire tray is emptied. It will be apparent that the overall capacity of the ash tray is not noticeably diminished with the use of the invention.

I claim:

1. In an ash tray of the type having a horizontal bottom wall, two vertical side walls mounted to the bottom wall and a vertical front and rear wall mounted in parallel relation to each other and connected to the side and bottom walls and having a tongue shaped cigarette snubber projecting horizontally inward from the upper portion of at least one of said vertical walls, said tongue shaped snubber being characterized by a rounded extending edge portion extending inwardly of the tray and having a downwardly formed lip, the snubber having a circular depressed portion having a central aperture extending therethrough and having a diameter less than that of a cigarette; the improvement comprising:

(a) a hollow cylindrical receptacle for tobacco ash having an outer radius less than the radius of the said rounded portion of said tongue;

(b) said receptacle being mountable vertically beneath and at the lower surface of said tongue and about in axial alignment with the center of said aperture; and

(c) mounting means for removably attaching said cylindrical receptacle beneath said tongue.

2. The ash tray improvement of claim 1 in which the upstanding edge of said cylindrical tobacco ash receptacle is adapted to nest against the under surface of said snubbing tongue and within said downwardly extending lip.

3. The ash tray improvement of claim 1 in which said mounting means comprises a magnet connected to the outward surface of said cylindrical receptacle in a fashion providing removable attachment to at least one of said vertical walls.

4. The ash tray improvement of claim 1 in which said mounting means comprises a spring clip connected to said cylindrical receptacle and extensible over at least a portion of said tongue shaped cigarette snubber in a manner urging said container against the underside of said snubber.

5. The ash tray improvement of claim 1 in which both ends of said cylindrical tobacco ash receptacle are open and in which said receptacle is of length sufficient to extend from said ash tray bottom wall to the underside of said tongue shaped snubber.

6. The ash tray improvement of claim 2 in which said mounting means comprises a magnet connected to the outward surface of said cylindrical ash receptacle in a manner providing removable attachment to at least one of said vertical walls and providing for the spacing of said receptacle from said wall so as to allow said axial alignment.

7. The ash tray improvement of claim 6 in which both ends of said cylindrical tobacco ash receptacle are open and in which said receptacle is of length suflicient to extend from said ash tray bottom wall to the underside of said tongue shaped snubber.

8. The ash tray improvement of claim 2 in which said mounting means comprises a spring clip connected to said cylindrical container and extensible over at least a portion of said tongue shaped cigarette snubber in a manner urging said container against the underside of said snubber and allowing snufiing access to said depression and aperture.

9. The ash tray improvement of claim 8 in which both ends of said cylindrical tobacco ash receptacle are open and in which said receptacle is of length sufficient to ex- References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Peters.

Pratt 131-256 Neahr 131-235 Simpson 131-235 Schmalling 131-235 X Casper 131-235 Dorrance 131-256 X Thomson 131-256 France.

tend from said ash tray bottom wall to the underside of 5 JOSEPH REICH, Primary Examiner,

said tongue shaped snubber. 

